A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-26-87 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS WHO HAVE RECEIVED NATIONAL CERTIFICATION FROM THE AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION AND WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN A SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL RECEIVE A YEARLY INCENTIVE FOR THE LIFE OF THE CERTIFICATION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THESE INCENTIVES MUST BE PAID FROM FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THIS PURPOSE IF AVAILABLE.

Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 26, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

(4) received and maintained a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

(B) Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the Department of Education shall pay a yearly bonus of three thousand dollars to a certified speech-language pathologist who:

(1) holds a South Carolina teaching certification as a speech-language therapist;

(2) is continuously employed full time in a South Carolina school district as a speech-language pathologist at the time of receiving the bonus;

(3) is not considered a purchased service contractor; and

(4) is not receiving a salary supplement as a result of holding a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification.

(C) Bonuses paid to a certified speech-language pathologist pursuant to this section must be paid from funds appropriated by the General Assembly specifically for this purpose. However, the yearly bonuses provided by this section must not be paid unless necessary funding in an amount certified annually by the Office of State Budget of the Budget and Control Board has been appropriated by the General Assembly specifically for this purpose.

(D) The cost and expenses related to the acquisition and maintenance of the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association are the responsibility of the certified speech-language pathologist.

(E) Upon implementation of programs and efforts coordinated by the South Carolina Department of Education to attract individuals to positions that are difficult to staff or to critical subject areas by providing bonuses, the line-item appropriation for the Speech Language Pathologist bonus program must be combined with funds appropriated by the General Assembly for other teacher bonuses and must be allocated for that purpose based on the guidelines established by the South Carolina Department of Education."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.